Canine CPR (Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation)

Hopefully, CPR is something you won’t ever need to use on your dog, but there are times when knowing how to perform it could be the difference between life and death.

• First, check the vital signs – talk to your dog and, if this does not rouse him, rub his shoulder. If he still doesn’t respond, continue onto the next step.
  

• Pick up the phone. Call your vet or emergency vet, inform them of what has happened and tell them that you are bringing your dog to them. If you can’t get to them, ask somebody else to drive you so that you can continue to perform CPR on the way. Some vets offer a volunteer-based transport service.
  

• While you’re on your way to the vets, gently lay your dog onto his right side so that his heart is facing upwards. Check his pulse by pulling his front left leg backwards until the elbow touches the chest – this is the point where you should be able to find his pulse. If you can’t find it, search along the pad of the dewclaw until you find one.
  

• Ensure that the airways are clear. Open the jaws, clear the mouth of debris such as mucous, vomit or blood and gently pull the tongue forward. Tilt the dog’s head back slightly to open up the airways.
  

• Hold the dog’s mouth tightly closed to create a seal, ensuring that the tongue is back inside the mouth first. Place your mouth against the dog’s nose and act in the same way as you would when performing human CPR, blowing four or five times in quick succession, watching the sternum for rise and fall.
  

• Wait for two or three seconds for the air to exhale again, and then repeat the previous step. Continue to perform these two steps until the dog resumes breathing or you arrive at the vets, where somebody can insert an oxygen tube.
  

• If your dog’s heart stops beating, you will need to perform cardiac massage. Place one hand against the widest part of the ribcage, and then cover it with your other hand, locking the fingers together, just as you would with human CPR. Lock your elbows and press downwards firmly about a quarter of the dog’s width, roughly fifteen times in a steady beat for about ten seconds. Then continue with the artificial respiration. If you find that you need to use cardiac massage and artificial respiration at the same time, alternate between the two – five compressions, then one breath.

• For small dogs and puppies, place your hands directly at the heart, just behind the elbow. When doing the compressions, push down about two centimetres.
  

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So useful. Thank you!

Thank you! I hope I never need to use it though.

Found a video demonstrating.

http://www.caninedistractions.com/the-cpr-video-that-could-save-your-dogs-life/

All useful stuff, thank you. I learned human CPR when I was the first-aider at work, but wouldn't have known how to do heart compressions on a dog.

As mentioned, it is one of those things you hope never to have to use.

Thanks for the video!

There's actually some debate as to whether or not it's as useful in dogs as it is in humans. I'd rather know how to do it, even with a small chance that it could work, though.

Thanks Theresa.

Very interesting read. Cheers gals.